Chocolate fairs, chocolate shows, chocolate contests, chocolate magazines, you name it, we have it in France when it comes to chocolate. We take our chocolate very seriously. We have master chocolatiers who go to school to refine their palate and their skills. They can take one bite of chocolate and tell you right away if the cocoa beans come from New Guinea, Togo, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, or others. They can describe chocolate like a sommelier describes wine. It is quite amazing.
Following the chocolate tradition in France is the chocolate truffle, essentially a thick ganache that you roll in cocoa powder. It is not difficult to do, and it is very rewarding.
You can use a basic, semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate, or the finest dark Swiss chocolate. The quality and the taste of your truffles highly depend on the grade of the chocolate that you use. If you like a 78% or even 80% cocoa content bitter dark chocolate, you should use just that to replicate the taste in your own truffles. It is up to you to play with different grades of chocolate and find the right one for you. I personally like to use a good, yet reasonably priced semi-sweet chocolate, and the result is always excellent.
Chocolate truffles make such a great gift. I fix them by the dozen, put them in a candy box, sprinkle them with my famous 24 karat gold flakes for the woah effect, put a ribbon around the box and cannot wait to see each and every recipient’s face as one box after the other gets opened up.
Chocolate and gold, an amazing combination, an amazing gift. Plus, it always feels great to give something that you made yourself. Have fun by yourself or with the kids in the kitchen!
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